Well pumping apparatus involving a sucker rod



Jan. 2, 1951 l E. w. MoNG WELL PUMPING APPARATUS INvoLvING A sUcxERYRoD Filed Jan. 15, 1947 /4/ M0279 fae( HOr/vey Y* Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED- ;srATEs PATENT OFFICE; I

BUMPINZG APPARATUS INVQLV'INGA .SUCKER RGD- Edgar 'W'.'Mong, Los Angeles, Calif. Application January 15, ieirpseriaine. .722.280

V12. claims. v(o1.10a-zoei This. .invention todo withv well. pumping' v narily usedhascertain.limitations and thedepth of. operation tis limited. The principal `limitation Aon.. such equipment,- is .due to the. .weight and .stretch Ot .the rods. -As Hdepths .increase .the .-'weightoi thecolumn of uid vabove the pump .mcreases and the weight and .stretch .of the string. of .rods increases. VAs a, result. of suoli .conditionsapoint is reached where. itis imprac- Ytical Ato attempt .to operate.. a pump.. since .move- .mentimparted to therods at. the surface of the Awelll is largely, .ii not completely, absorbed before reaching.thepump` Furthermorel as the weight .of the. rods. Aincreases the strain on the. rods increases. adding to the hazardso operation.

-' .It isfan obiectoi the presentmvention to rprovidea simple., practioalarrangernent and Vcom- ;binationoiparts wherebyasucker rod 'is handled .in a deep well .so that the strains due to the weight of the rod are effectively reduced making .itpossible to successiullyoperate arpump at a great depth` ...Another `.object of thefinventionis .to provide an attachmentapplicable to standardwell equipmentsuch asastandardsuclrer rodano. a. stand .ardpumn withoutappreciable alteration thereof. :itis another object of the, invention to. .pro- .videan attachment .acting .between .a fixed point .inthe .well .tubing and a :point on the. rod inter- .mediate .its .ends .to relievev strains due loads 4ou or -.the weightoi .the rods.

.v Another .object oi the present invention `is to provide .a vresilient .element .such .as .a .spring .or .the...1il e interposed 'between the .tubing .and rodactihgibetween a support in the tubing vand aston. onthe rodwhi'eh stop isadjustable length.-

.wse oiltherod tolbring the nartsintothe desired `.working.relatioushin ltisanother .obieot oi :the present .invention to. provide. an attachment. of. the. general chare Aaoter referred to which ssuoh. that the-bulky parte occupying lempreciable space rbetween .the tubing .androd are removable withthe rodmakling 'itpossible to remove. the. pump .or .parts .of the .pump by means of; therod; the usualmenner.l

MVV'.ihe..various. .obieetsaodieatures ci .my inves# tion will-.be fully Aunderstood 'from .the -..ioll'ow. ing detailed description 40i typical. ,preferred forms VandV .-.applications of .the invention, ,throughout whichdescription rererence is made toithe..acconrpanyingdrawings. in which z,

Fig. lisaviewoa typical well andpumping equipment .application thereto including .the structure. .of the .present invention. Fig,.2 is an renlarged .longitudinal `sectional view of. the equipment in` the well showing vthe structure provided by the present invention being an enlarged .view taken as indicatedby.linev 2--2 on.Fig.. i1., Fig. 3 .is an enlarged tplan lsection `takenas indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2. .Fig 4 is ,enlargedpplan section taken as indicated byline 4-4 on Eig. 2. Fig. .5 is an enlarged detailed sectional viewshowing another form of construction lprovided .by the present invention, and Fig. 6 is. an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken at thepump, illustrating the essen tial parts of a pump thatmay be'used'in carrying out. my invention. Y n 4 l, I My present invention c anbe usedundervarif ous working conditions. However, itis par-l ticularly useful as applied Yto or in connection vwith well 1pumping apparatus and particularly where-a Well pump is to be operated at'great Jdept'hsin a, well. In the drawings I illustrate Ia typical well provided with the usual casing A and Ishow'a vderrick'B atthe top or headof the well. Atypical or Acommon type of pump operating mechanism is illustrated at the Herrick, which mechanism involves,'es sentially,"a walking beam I0 and a drivell therefor. A head f2 'his provided at the upper end of the well casing A and atubing I3 is carried by 'the head l2 and extends downwardlyinto the well to carry the purnp C and to form a conduit for uid handled `,by-"the pump. A flow line 4 is provided atrthe -derrick to handle ow from the tubing and a sucker rodD extends downwardly through rthe tubing to operate the pump. The sukenrodiD finvolves a plurality of rod sections "l5 joined -end to end bysuitable couplings `l'l in the manner common vto sucker rods used for operating `well pumps. The upper end of the suckerrrod includes a 'nish section or polish rod vI'l by which Vthe Asucker rod is joined toA the walking beam.V I'U. The polish rod |1 operates through la suitable stuing bor` |801' the like. A My present inventionv provides, primarily, a resilient Aelement arranged between the tubing i3 v'andthe rod D which element is preferably 'a' `helical spring. In the drawingsl yI ShOWv 'Che .resilient .elementas a helical spring zo.. the iower end of which is carried by a seat in the tubing while the upper end engages a stop on the sucker rod. The spring 2D is a compression spring of substantial length and its convolutions are so spaced as to allow its upper end to move through the full or desired stroke while its lower end remains stationary or xed.

The support provided in the tubing I3 is locatedA at a suitablepoint between the pump C and the head of the well, and in practice it may vary considerably in form and construction as will be apparent from an examination of Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings the support involves a seat ring 2| Xed in the tubing to project inwardly from the inner wall 22 of the tubing, so that it presents an upwardly facing shoulder 23 forming a rest for the lower end of the spring. In this case the supportis formed entirely of one part, that is, of the ring 2| and the ring is xed in position in the tubing, being located within a coupling 24 of the tubing string so that it is conned between the ends of adjacent tubing sections 25. In practice it is preferred to form the ring 2| so that it projects radially inward from the tubing just far enough to form a. suitable shoulder 23 for supporting the spring 20 and if desired the tubing, seat ring 2| and pump or pump parts can be related so that the pump or pump parts may be inserted into the well or withdrawn therefrom through the seat ring.

y In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. of the drawings the support involves a removable seat ring 2|a on which the spring 2|) rests and a shoulder ring 3|! carried by the tubing and having an upwardly facing shoulder 3| on which the ring 2| a is supported. The seat ring 2|a is proportioned to slidably t within the tubing I3 and the shoulder ring is proportioned to project inwardly from the interior of the tubing far enough to effectively support the seat ring, as shown in Fig. 5 of thev drawings. The opening 32 through the ring s preferably made as large as possible so that the shoulder ring will readily pass a pump f or pump parts in the course of their being lowered into or withdrawn from working position. The seat ring illustrated in the drawings is provided with an upwardly facing recessed shoulder 23H' receiving and holding the lower end of the spring 20. When this form of construction is employed the seat ring is proportioned so that the opening 35 provided therethrough to pass the sucker rod D is proportioned to pass thesucker rod with substantial clearance but will not nass the pump or pump parts. With the construction iust described the seat ring 2 Ia is applied to the sucker rod above the pump or pump parts and as the pump or pump parts are withdrawn they engage the seat ring and lift it from the shoulder ring so that the seat ring and spring are withdrawn from the well with the sucker rod. Y

The pump C may be any ordinary well pump of the type to be operated bv a rod. For instance, it may be either the working plunger type or the work barrel type. In Fig. -6 of the drawings I illustrate, generally/'fa pump of the working plunger type in which the standing valve bodv -10 lis releasablv held at thev lower end of the tubing I3 by a suitable pump anchor 7| while tbe plunger 72 is designed to reciprocate in the barrel I3 and is coupled to the lower end of the rod D. In accordance withvthe broader principles of my invention I contemplate that either a par-t of the pump such as the plunger 1D orv whichever .part is.directly attached to the rod D, orpo'ssibly the pump aS 8f whole, may be removable from the well through the tubing as the rod D is removed. If the entire pump is removable the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 can be used to advantage as the opening 32 in the shoulder ring 3U may be easily made large enough to readily pass the entire pump, that is, the assembly of the barrel 'i3 and plunger l2. If the pump is such that only a part such as the plunger 'l2 is removed with the rod D the opening at the seat need not be large, in which case I can employ the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2. However, it is to be understood that I may, in certain cases, be able to remove the entire pump through the seat ring 2| as shown in Fig. 2 where the relative size of the tubing and pump permit of this construction.

The stop provided on the sucker rod to be engaged by the upper end of the spring may be any suitable projection on the rod against which the spring may bear upwardly. In the drawings I have shown a stop applicable to the sucker rod at any desired point along its length making it possible to so locate the stop to work in the most advantageous manner relative to the support that carries the lower end of the spring.

The particular stop illustrated inthe vdrawings is in the nature of a collar 4|] applied toa rod section `|5 at the desired point lengthwise of the sucker rod. The collar is preferably split longitudinally so that it involves sections 4| which sections may be advantageously joined by suitable fastening means such as bolts 42. The sections may be like opposed sectionsl such that when the bolts 42 are tightened the collar is madevfast on the rod section so that it will not move lengthwise thereof. In practice I may provide `antifriction means on the collar 40 so that the collar will not cause excessive wear of the tubing as it works up and down therein. In the particular case illustrated I show the collar provided with circumferentially spaced peripheral sockets 50 carrying rollers 5| that are supported on suitable supporting pins 52. The rollers are so mounted as to project somewhat radially from the rollerand in practice they may be crowned, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to conform to the configuration of the interior 22 of the tubing in which they operate.

In applying my present invention I may use one or more springs 20 in connection with a single sucker rod D, that is, if I desire I may locate several springs at suitable intervals within the tubing I3. It will be apparent that a spring 20 such as I have provided resting on a support in the tubing and engaging a stop on the rod will serve to resiliently support the rod as weight of the rod or load applied through the rod is allowed to be borne by the spring. The structure that I have provided acts to center the rod in the tubing and to hold the rod under tension so thatit is straight. By holding the rod straight in the tubing wear on the rod and on the 'wall of the tubing is minimized. In practice each spring 28 is so located that as the rod D reciprocates in the course of operating the pump C it alternately contracts and expands, its range of movement being such as to allow for full travel or operation of the rod in order to. gain the desired action or operation of the. pump.

In a typical installation I may proportion the spring 20 as to length and strength or, if neces- Sary, IA may employ enough springs 2U so that under normal working conditions the' load .on the sucker rod, and the weight of the rod. itself 1S SllCh C (iompress the spring or springs so that v the :loadand weight combined-assure operation of lthe pump parts to the downor vlowered position. As the redis movedup throughoperation of the walking beam or other actuating mechanism ythe operating mechanism ldoes not have to'liftthe entire weight of the rod together with the load imposed thereon, but rather vlifts rvonly lpart of Vthis weight and load as the spring or springsbeing under compression'exert upward force on the rod. VBy proper design and -proportioning the 'upward Vvforce exerted by the spring or springs may be substantial, kwith the resultlthat a substantial amount of the upward strain is taken by the springk or springs and since the springs are located to engage the Vrod .intermediate its' ends the :entire 'weightand load is not concentrated on the upper end portion of the rod -as it `ordinarily is, but is distributed so that the equipment will work satisfactorily at greater depths than it would if not equipped with the spring or'springs of the present invention. i

Employing 4the present invention as 'hereinabove described -it will beV apparent that load or strain ordinarilycommunicated by the rod to 'the head -of Ythe well isv communicated `from the rod to the tubing at one or more points Vin the well. Where the tubing is such that it may stretch or work as a result of the forces or loads applied thereto through the spring or springs it may be desirable to provide anchoring means for the tubing so that the forces or strains tending to move or work the tubing are communicated to the casing, which is ordinarily so mounted and anchored as to provide an effective or positive support. In the drawings I have shown a simple anchor 6D acting between the tubing I3 and the casing A so that load or downward force that would otherwise tend to move or stretch the tubing is communicated to the casing so that the tubing affords a xed or immovable support for the lower end of the spring which is taking part of the load or weight of the sucker rod.

Certain structural elements that I have disclosed in this application are employed in the structure which is the subject of my copending application entitled Well Pumping Apparatus iiled January 15, 1947, Serial No. 722,279.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein disclosed, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. An attachment for a well tubing with a rod extending therethrough and having a part at its lower end carrying a pump element including, a seat supported in the tubing below its upper end, a sectional stop clamped to the rod within the tubing, and a helical ,spring confined between the seat and stop, the clamp being selectively positioned on the rod above the said part.

2. An attachment for a well tubing with a rod extending therethrough including, a seat supported by the tubing below its upper end, a sectional stop clamped to the rod within the tubing, anti-friction members carried by the stop and engaging the ,interior or" the tubing, and a helical spring within the tubing surrounding the rod and confined between the seat and stop.

3. An attachment for a well tubing having sections joined by a coupling and a rod in the tubing including, a seat supported by the tubing,

a 'stop supported bythe rod,'anda `helical spring connned vbetween :the seat vand stop, vthe seat including a xed member held in the vim'bing within the coupling and between thev sections and a lpart'separate from and resting on saidmember and engaged "by the `springend `removable from the tubing by means 'of the rod.

4. An attachment for Ya well tubing and a rod extending therethrough including, afseatapplicableto the tubing, astop applicablestolthefrod, anda helical spring confined between the seat and `|stop, the seat including a member xed in the tubing and va part restingon said member, engaged lby the spring and removablefrom the tubing Vby means of `the ro'd, the stopinoluding separable sections vand means operabletoclamp the sections onithe rod.

l5. An'attachment for a wel'ltubingwith a rod extending therethrough including, a seat applicableto the tubing, astopfapplicable to the'frod', and a helical 'spring connnedbetweenthe seat and stop, the seat including a shoulder ring applicable to the tubing to'be held in a 'fixed position in the tubing and a seat `ring fslidal'rle in the tubing `resting on the shoulder kring and engaged under the spring.

6. In combination, a tubing, a pump releasably supported at the lower end 'of the tubing, a rod extending through the tubing and attached to the pump, a stop xed on the rod within the tubing, a seat in the tubing below the stop, and a spring in the tubing under compression between the stop and seat, the seat including a ring supported in the tubing against downward movement therein and having a shoulder en.. gaged by the spring, the seat having an opening passing parts of the pump.

7. In combination, a tubing, a pump releasably supported at the lower end of the tubing, a rod extending through the tubing and attached to the pump, a sectional stop clamped to the rod within the tubing, a seat in the tubing below the stop, and a spring in the tubing under compression between the stop and seat, the seat including a ring applicable to the tubing to be held in a fixed position in the tubing and having a shoulder engaged by the spring, the opening through the ring passing pump parts operable through the tubing by the rod.

8. In combination, a tubing, a pump releasably supported at the lower end of the tubing, a rod extending through the tubing and attached to the pump, a stop on the rod, a seat in the tubing below the stop, and a spring in the tubing under compression between the stop and seat, the seat including a shoulder ring applicable to the tubing to be held in a iixed position in the tubingand a seat ring slidable in the tubing resting on the shoulder ring and engaged under the spring.

9. In combination, a tubing, a pump releasably supported at the lower end of the tubing, a rod extending through the tubing and attached to the pump, a stop on the rod, a seat in the tubing below the stop, and a spring in the tubing under compression between the stop and seat, the seat including a shoulder ring applicable to the tubing to be held in a xed position in the tubing and a seat ring slidable in the tubingresting on the shoulder ring and engaged under the spring, the opening through the shoulder ring passing pump parts operable through the tubing by the rod.

10. In combination, a casing in a well, a tubing extending into the casing and having sections` 7. joined by couplings, a pump carried in the Well by the tubing at the lower end thereof, a rod extending into the tubing connected to and operating the pump, a seat in the tubing including a ring in-the coupling and between adjacent tubing Asections and a member separate from and resting on the ring, a sectional stop clamped to the rod Within the tubing above the seat, a, helicalI spring in the tubing surrounding the rod and under compression between the stop and said member, and means securing the tubing in the casing against movement by forces imparted to the tubing from the rod,

11. In combination, a casing in a well, a tubing extending into the casing and having sections joined by couplings, a pump carried in the well by the tubing at the lower end thereof, a rod extending into the tubing connected to and operating the pump, a seat in the tubing including a ring in a. coupling and between adjacent tubing sections and a member separate from and resting on the ring, a stop on the rod above the seat, a helical spring in the tubing surrounding the rod and under compression between the seat and stop, and a releasable anchor securing the tubing in the casing against movement by forces imparted to the tubing from the rod.

12. In combination, a casing in a well, a tubpassing parts of the ing extending intothe casing, a pump carried in the well by the tubing, a rod extending into the tubing connected to and operating the pump, a seat fixed in the tubing, a stop clamped in xed position on the rod above the seat, a helical spring in the tubing surrounding the rod and under compression between the seat and stop, and means securing the tubing in the casing against movement by forces imparted to the tubing from the rod, the opening through the seat pump movable through .the tubing by means of the rod.

EDGAR W. MONG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 786,665 McElphatrick Apr. 4, 1905 875,372 Palm Dec. 31, 1907 940,347 McCarthy et a1. Nov. 16, 1909 1,742,940 Stokes Jan. 7, 1930 2,131,275 Crickmer Sept. 27, 1938 2,166,426 Dickson July 18, 1939 2,238,809 Hall et al Apr. 15, 1941 

